Scientific Advertising

High-Level Thoughts

A short book talking through some of the history of advertising, starting with mail ads. The reason for most failed advertising is a lack of testing and proper tracking.

Summary Notes

Advertising is multiplied salesmanship. It may appeal to thousands while the salesman talks to one. (Page 11)

There is one simple way to answer many advertising questions. Ask yourself, "Would it help a salesman sell the goods?" "Would it help me sell them if I met a buyer in person?" A fair answer to those questions avoids the countless mistakes. (Page 12)

Some say "Be very brief People will read for little." Would you say that to a salesman? With a prospect standing before him, would you confine him to any certain number of words? That would be an unthinkable handicap. (Page 12)

The advertising man studies the consumer. He tries to place himself in the position of the buyer. His success largely depends on doing that to the exclusion of everything else (Page 14)

The best ads ask no one to buy. That is useless. Often they do not quote a price. (Page 15)
The ads are based entirely on service. They offer wanted information. They site advantages to users. Perhaps they offer a sample, or to buy the first package, or to send something on approval, so the customer may prove the claims without any cost or risks. (Page 15)

Maker of books, typewriters, washing machines, kitchen cabinets, vacuum sweepers, etc., send out their products without any prepayment. They say, "Use them, then do as you wish." Practically all merchandise sold by mail is sent subject to return. (Page 15)

People can be coaxed but not driven. Whatever they do they do to please themselves. (Page 16)

The purpose of a headline is to pick out people you can interest. (Page 25)

So in an advertisement. What you have will interest certain people only, and for certain reasons. You care only for those people. Then create a headline which will hail to those people only. (Page 25)

Headlines on ads are like headlines on news items. Nobody reads a whole newspaper. One is interested in financial news, one in political, one in society, one in cookery, one in sports, etc. There are whole pages in any newspaper which we may never scan at all. Yet other people might turn directly to those pages. We pick out what we wish to read by headlines, and we don't want those headlines misleading. (Page 25)

Always bear these facts in mind. People are hurried. The average person worth cultivating has too much to read. They skip three fourths of the reading matter which they pay to get. They are not going to read your business talk unless you make it worth their while and let the headline show it. (Page 26)

Address the people you seek, and them only. (Page 28)

Curiosity is one of the strongest human incentives. We employ it whenever we can. (Page 29)

Cheapness is not a strong appeal. Americans are extravagant. (Page 29)

People judge largely by price. (Page 30)

When a man knows something belongs to them - something with his name on - he will make an effort to get it, even though the thing is a trifle. (Page 31)

The weight of an argument may often be multiplied by making it specific. (Page 35)

When you once get a person's attention, then is the time to accomplish all you can ever hope with him. Bring all your good arguments to bear. Cover every phase of your subject. One fact appeals to some, one to another. (Page 39)

People are not apt to read successive advertisements on any single line. No more than you read a news item, or a story. In one reading of an advertisement one decides for or against a proposition. (Page 39)

Genius is the art of taking pains. (Page 51)

Give samples to interested people only. Give them only to people who exhibit that interest by some effort. Give them only to people whom you have told your story. First create an atmosphere of respect, a desire, an expectation. (Page 63)

There are many surprises in advertising. A project you will laugh at may make a great success. A project you are sure of may fall down. All because tastes differ so. None of us know enough peoples desires to get an average viewpoint. (Page 69)

In successful advertising great pains are taken to never change our tone. That which won so many is probably the best way to win others. Then people come to us. We build on that acquaintance rather than introduce a stranger in guise (Page 76)

The ways for getting attention are many. Rarely can one way be applied to two lines. But the principles are universal. Strike while the iron is hot. Get a decision then. Have it followed by prompt action when you can. (Page 81)